Improvement in seed-planters



S. G. RANDALL.

Grain Drill.

lPanted .lune 2, 1857.

AM. PHOTO-LIHO. BU. N Y. (USBURNE'S PROCESS) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEED-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 17,450, dated June 2, 1857.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAs G. RANDALL, of Dixon, in the county ot' Lee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seed-Planting Harrows; and I do hereby declare the following to be a tull, clear, and exact description of the construe tion and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part thereof', in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the machine, as seen when arranged for sowing; and Fig. 3 represents a similar section ofthe machine when arranged for transportation from tield to field, or when thrown out ot' seeding action.

Similar letters of reference, where they occur in the several figures, denote like parts of the machine in all of them.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to de scribe the saine with reference tothe drawings.

A A represent two longitudinal pieces, rounded up at their front ends, a a, so as to form runners.

B B B B are transverse pieces, pivoted at the points b b, Ste., to the side pieces, so that they may turn on said pivots when it is desired to do so.

c c o are harrowteeth inserted in the transverse bars B, said bars and teeth heilig held in the position shown in Figs. l and 2 by an arm, d, which takes under a catch, e, in the side piece, A, and thus terms a hai-row.

When the machine is to be moved from place to place the arm d is taken outt'rom the catche and the piece B turned a quarter round, as shown in Fig. 25, which throws the barrow-teeth out ot' action, and the side pieces become supports or runners t'orsustaining the machine in its transportation.

The seed box or hopper G is hinged to the side pieces, A, by arms l), pivoted thereto at j', so that said hopper may freely swing on said arms. To the front of the hopper are permanently afxed two supporting-pieces, E E, which carry in their lower ends the axle F, upon which is secured the wheel G, furnished with projec tions g, arranged in a zigzag line around its perimeter.

h is a wedge-shaped cam placed on the bottom of the seed-slide t'. Against the sides of l this cam h the teeth g in the wheel G strike ground, and thus insure the turning of said and through it the positive action of the seedslide i.

When it is desired to throw the seeding apparatus ont ot action, the lid of said hopper being first secured by a suitable catch, m, the hopper is turned back, as shown in Fig. 3, and rests on the side pieces, A. The wheel G being raised up clear 0f the ground, ct' course there is no friction to drive it, and it remains inactive. In this condition the machine is but a barrow.

When the machine is moved from field to field or from place to place the bars B may be turned around, as also shown in Fig. and then it becomes simply a sled or drag for carrying the barrow and seeding apparatus, the barrow being thrown out ot' action.

The machine as a whole isvery cheap and very et'ticient, as it prepares the ground, sows the seed, and covers it up at one operation, besides forming its own truck upon which it is transported.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what l claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Hinging the seed-hopper with its drive-wheel G and other appliances connected with it to the side pieces ot' the barrow by the pivoted arms D, so that when said hopper is thrown forward it shall rest on and be perated by said drive-wheel, which runs on the ground for that purpose, and when thrown back rest on said side pieces and be out of action, as herein set forth and explained.

SILAS G. RANDALL.

Witnesses:

EDWIN W. HINE, ELLIS I. WILLIAMS.

hopper causes the projectionsg to enter the wheel by the forward motion ot' the machine, 

